The present invention relates to a new and distinct variety of apricot tree, which will hereinafter be denominated varietally as `Robada.` More particularly, the invention relates to the discovery and asexual propagation of apricot Prunus armeniaca L. cv. `Robada.` The new variety is a fresh market apricot for use in local markets as well as for long distance shipping.
The new variety of apricot tree was produced from a cross between the apricot variety `Orangered` (seed parent) and apricot selection K113-40 (pollen parent) grown in a research orchard located near Parlier, Calif. The pollen parent originated in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) apricot breeding program. Planned hybridizations, four generations removed from the original apricot varieties `Blenheim`, `Blush` and `Perfection`, resulted in the selection of K113-40.
The first generation seedlings from the `Orangered`.times.K113-40 hybridization were grown and maintained in a research orchard located near Parlier, Calif. When these trees became reproductively fit, close attention was paid to desirable fruit characteristics. The present variety was then selected from among all other seedlings in this progeny, due to its unique combination of desirable fruit characteristics. This tree was then asexually propagated to other rootstocks, where it remained true-to-character in other orchard environments.
The new variety of apricot tree has been asexually reproduced by both dormant grafting and June-budding in the USDA-ARS research orchard in Fresno, Calif., and are identified by Selection Identification Number K106-2. Trees reproduced by both of these means have shown that the characteristics run true to the original seedling tree. Desirable fruit characteristics are therefore transmitted through succeeding propagations.